Christian Bale is one of the most respected actors in Hollywood, known for his intense roles and his impressive physical transformations. However, he planned to leave the profession, and this right after turning with Steven Spielberg…
At just 13 years old, Christian Bale won the main role in the Empire du Soleil, a historic drama directed by Steven Spielberg. He embodied a British young boy living in Shanghai there, projected in the horrors of war after being separated from his parents. A complex and demanding role, especially for a child.
This film, acclaimed by criticism (and noted 4 out of 5 by the spectators of Allociné), had the potential to definitively launch the career of the young actor. And that's exactly what he did – but not without consequences. This sudden media exposure and the pressure of such an ambitious project deeply marked the young Christian.
In an interview with The Talks sitethe actor confided in this experience. When asked about the impact of Steven Spielberg In his choice to become an actor, his answer surprised.
“” “He did the opposite. He made me say to me: 'I never want to do this again'. I don't hold it against him personally, I had a wonderful moment with him. But to live this experience at such a young age, I do not recommend it to anyone.»
For Christian Balegrowing under the spotlight is not ideal: “When you are 13, you are a teenager. You should be completely anonymous. I think it is really not good for children to end up in such an adult profession at such a young age. No matter how much you have fun, you will end up having responsibilities that you should not have at that age. So, this experience made me think that I didn't want to be an actor. I haven't really turned for a few years.»
He has indeed moved away from the profession for a while, distanced himself from the film sets. It was only later, pushed by a need for creation and artistic expression, that he will find the path of cinema.
“” “Do something creative“Said the actor as to his motivations to come back to the fore.” “When things go well and you appreciate the process, it's a moment of euphoria and you just want to keep doing it.»
And fortunately for us, because without this return, we might have missed out on the highlights in films like American Psycho, The Dark Knight or The Machinist.
Today, Christian Bale is unstoppable. After his three films from 2022, Thor: Love and Thunder (available on Disney+), Amsterdam (available in VOD) and The Pale Blue Eye (available on Netflix), he also lent his voice to the character of Shoichi Maki in the English version of the boy and the Hayao Miyazaki heron in 2023.
Today, we are waiting for it in particular in two prestigious future projects: The Bride!, Maggie Gyllenhaal's film on Frankenstein's bride, with Jessie Buckley and Jake Gyllenhaal in particular, scheduled for March 4, 2026 in France, as well as the David O. Russell biopic, with Nicolas Cage and Kathryn Hahn, currently in production.
The Empire of the Sun, with John Malkovich also, is to be reviewed in VOD.
Discover an extract from the backstage from the shooting in the post below:
